


better luck next time

by goldengalaxies



Series: these words on my skin [1]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Rewrite, Canon Sexuality, Canon Universe, Canon up to chapter one but diverges after that, Demisexuality, Long Shot, M/M, Miscommunication, Multi, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Relationship(s), Pining, Plot, Romantic Soulmates, Slow Burn, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Temporarily Unrequited Love, will be about 3/4 chapters long
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-15 23:24:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18509194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldengalaxies/pseuds/goldengalaxies
Summary: Andrew smiled down at Neil and tapped two fingers to his temple in salute. “Better luck next time.”“Fuck you.” Neil spat out before he had the chance to think. A second later, he registered the words and almost choked in shock. Andrew Minyard had just said his words.(canon if there were soulmates in the AFTG universe. chapter one is canon and then it all turns to shit due to the soulmarks lol)





	better luck next time

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> Before we start, a few things.
> 
> There is a mention of canon non-con/rape, self-harm, abuse, child abuse and general violence and language.  
> There’s a link here to a full list of trigger warnings in the actual books, but as this is a rewrite, they will might appear in here as well. Please check it out, I would hate for anyone to get triggered by this work, stay safe!
> 
> Link: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/cabeswaterlovesthem.tumblr.com/post/142112202373/detailed-list-of-trigger-warnings-for-the-foxhole/amp
> 
> Also, I’m not demi sexual myself and even tho i did research and stuff idk if it’s all right, so if you see anything that u think doesn’t quite work or is offensive in any way, please let me know and i’ll change it ASAP. 
> 
> I’m not sure if either of these are relevant to this first chapter but it will be to the fic as a whole so proceed with caution. 
> 
> okay, u can read it now lol, enjoy!! <3

“You can’t be here.” Neil said. They’re standing in the walkway between the school pitch and the lockers. He stared at the man (Wymack, he thought it was) who stared back. Hernandez looked between the two uncertainly. 

“Yet here I stand.” Wymack shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “Need a pen?” 

“No.” Neil said stubbornly. What didn’t this man get about the word ‘no’? “No. I’m not playing for you.”

“I misheard you.” 

“You signed Kevin.” It isn’t an accusation exactly, but Neil won’t- no, can’t- go without knowing for sure. 

“And Kevin’s signing you, so-“ 

Neil didn’t stick around for the rest. He bolted up the bleachers, making his way to the locker room. The metal clanged loudly under the heavy beat of his footsteps, but it wasn’t quite loud enough to drown out Hernandez’s startled query. 

Neil didn’t bother to look back at them, knowing all that mattered was getting as far away from here as possible. Forget graduation, forget Neil Josten, he’d leave tonight and run until he forgot Wymack ever spoke to him. Kevin signed him? He must know- he must- why else would Kevin sign some small town nobody like Neil Josten?

He was sprinting so fast that he was already halfway through the locker room when he realised that he wasn’t alone. There was someone waiting for him in the lounge between him and the front door. A bright yellow racquet caught Neil’s eye. The stranger took a swing, and Neil was going to quick to stop. It crashed into his stomach unapologetically and unrestrained, as if the boy had put all his strength into the hit. 

He fell to the floor, coughing and struggling for breath as the wind got knocked out of him. He pressed his lips together, furiously trying not to spew. 

Wymack’s furious voice sounded a thousand miles away. “God damn it, Minyard. This is why we can’t have nice things.”

“Oh, coach.” The boy said casually. “If he was nice, he wouldn’t be any use to us, would he?”

“He’s no use to use if you break him.” Neil, for his part, almost felt offended at the conversation going on above him, but his lack of breath stopped him from butting in.

“You’d rather I let him go? Put a band-aid on him and he’ll be good as new.” 

Not fucking likely. Neil sucked in air greedily, keeping a tight grip on his middle to hold himself together and slanted a fierce look at his assailant. 

Wymack had already mentioned his attacker's name, but Neil didn’t need it to recognise the boy as Andrew Minyard, the foxes freshman goalkeeper. At five foot, Andrew didn’t look like much, but anyone who knew anything about the Foxes knew that Andrew was the deadliest of the lot. He was notoriously violent, to anyone who so much as looked at him wrong. 

He was also the first person to turn down a position with the Ravens- a top league team that had won almost every year leading up to this one. Everyone assumed he had gone with the Foxes because Coach Wymack had signed his family too (he had a twin and a cousin- Aaron Minyard and Nicky Hemmick). 

Whatever the reason, most people only cared because he was blamed for the transfer of one of the top Raven strikers- Kevin Day. 

Kevin had transferred to the Palmetto state Foxes- shocking pretty much anyone who’d even heard of exy- after a skiing accident had ruined his playing hand. It cost him his playing contract, which was to be expected, but, what wasn’t foreseen, was for Kevin to immediately put in for a transfer to Palmetto to be the Foxes assistant coach. Lots of his fans had been appalled by the transfer- the Foxes were renowned for being a group of troubled kids that couldn’t work together on the field if their lives depended on it. 

Most people thought that the reason he’d joined the team was the goalkeeper who had once spurned him. Neil had spent his spring break finding out as much as he could about Minyard- so meeting him face to face was a weirdly awakening experience. 

Andrew smiled down at Neil and tapped two fingers to his temple in salute. “Better luck next time.”

“Fuck you.” Neil spat out before he had the chance to think. A second later, he registered the words and almost choked in shock. Andrew Minyard had just said his words. “Wai-“

“Neil!” Hernandez cut him off, catching Neil by his arm to help him up. He sent a shocked look towards Andrew, who twirled the racket in his hand disinterestedly. “Jesus, you alright?” 

He stood there in shock. Someone just said his words. Andrew Minyard just said his words.

Neil opened his mouth to speak but Wymack came into the locker room, again cutting him off. “Andrew’s a bit raw on the manners.” He said, coming to stand between Neil and Andrew. 

Andrew had no problems reading that silent warning. He threw his hands up in an exaggerated shrug and retreated out of the room. Neil wanted to chase after him- how could he be so calm about meeting his soulmate? Neil wasn’t sure if he was disappointed or relieved; he’d never much thought about his soulmate, his mother had forbidden it, so he hadn’t been expecting much, but still... wasn’t it supposed to be a happy moment? Minyard hadn’t even acknowledged their words.

He swallowed his emotions, instead focusing on the already forming bruises on his stomach that his soulmate gave him. 

“He break anything?” Wymack asked.

Neil pressed careful hands to his ribs and sucked in a breathe, feeling the way the muscles screamed in protest. He’d fractured bones enough in the past to know he’d gotten lucky this time. Neil sighed. That was a pretty pathetic skill to have. “I’m fine. Coach, I’m leaving. Let me go.” Should he go after Minyard or would Andrew come to him?

Unfortunately, Wymack had other plans. “We’re not done here.” Even though it saved him from his indecision regarding Andrew, Neil felt his temper flare.

“Coach Wymack-” Hernandez started to protest, but Wymack didn’t let him finish. 

“Give us a second?”

Hernandez looked doubtful at the proposition, so glanced at Neil for a second, before he making his mind up. “I’ll be right out back.” He said this directly to Neil, who, although he didn’t need Hernandez’s protection, appreciated the gesture. 

He turned to Wymack as soon as he heard the door click shut. “I already gave you my answer. I won’t sign with you.

“You didn’t listen to my whole offer. If I paid for three people to fly out to come here, you could at least give me five minutes of your attention.” 

The blood drained out of Neil’s face so quickly that the world seemed to twist around him. He took a stumbling step away from Wymack, his breath heavy and audible in the silent room. Regret flooded through him like a tidal wave. Why did he do this to himself? His mum would’ve slapped him (had she still been alive) for being so stupid. His heart squeezed pitifully at the thought. 

“Is that a problem?” 

Neil took in Wymack’s face- he looked confused, which wasn’t bad, but also suspicious, which wasn’t good. Neil regretted even stepping foot into this shitty town. He fumbled for an answer for a moment. It was a problem, but Neil wasn’t going to tell him the truth, obviously. 

“I’m not good enough to play on the same court as an ex-champion.” He said finally.

Hopefully if he simply went for the awkward, self-doubting fan angle, Wymack would explain away Neil’s dramatic behaviour with his own theories. 

Neil regretted his loss of control. He couldn’t show his panic in-front of the others- it would only serve to arouse more suspicion. He didn’t want them to look at him too closely- he could still run, but he didn’t want to be anything memorable.

Or could he? Could he really leave now? Despite being completely ignored, Neil didn’t want to leave Andrew without figuring out what was going on first. On the other hand, his mother would’ve killed him for staying with Kevin Day just to stay close to his soulmate. 

Besides, what could their relationship be? Neil didn’t swing and he doubted kindness and friendship was what Minyard was after. But that was all he could give. He’d never so much as felt attracted to another person before, and he wasn’t going to start liking sex just because the universe told him to.

It was a confusing situation, but it was one that Neil didn’t have time to contemplate with what came next. 

“True, but irrelevant.” The familiarity of the voice stole the air from his lungs. He fumbled to keep a grip on his calm facade.

Sitting across the room was Kevin Day, staring at Neil, looking thoroughly irritated by Neil’s dramatics. 

Neil’s heart was going into overdrive. He felt sick with nerves. The last time they’d been in the same room, they’d watched as Neil’s dad had sliced a man to pieces. They’d heard the flesh slice open, the sound of blood splattering to the floor. 

He eyed Kevin- and the number tattooed onto his cheek. Number 2 for second best striker- after Riko. 

“What are you doing here?” He asked, testing the waters. Did Kevin recognise him through the hair dye and coloured contacts? It would be unlikely, but not impossible- Neil had his fathers face, after all, and Nathan Wesninski’s face was not one you forgot after you saw him perform that kind of brutality.

And a performance it was. Neil felt sickened to describe it like that, but there was no other way to describe it. He put on a show- stage name: The Butcher- and sliced into that man, over and over and over until there was nothing left to cut. Neil had seen the look of Kevin’s face that day- and knew it was something neither him nor Kevin would ever forget. 

“Why were you leaving?” Kevin rebuked and Neil relaxed the smallest amount- it still wasn’t proof enough that Kevin recognised him, but the fact he hadn’t mentioned it immediately gave Neil hope.

“Stop wasting our time.” Kevin said shortly. “We’re here to sign you, so sign.”

“I said no. Go bother someone else.”

“We chose you.” Wymack said, drawing the attention back to himself. 

“I won’t play with Kevin.” Neil said impulsively and instantly regretted it. He wasn’t supposed to be drawing attention to his aversion to Kevin. He just needed to get out of here- he was pretty sure Kevin hadn’t recognised him, but every second he stayed was a risk.

Kevin looked at him. “You will.”

Wymack looked exasperated by Neil’s stubbornness, but Neil wasn’t going to say yes straight away. He needed time to think- and they weren’t giving it to him. This was a huge risk, he’d have to be ridiculously stupid to join the Foxes- a class I exy team, but-

But, but, but. That was the problem, wasn’t it? He didn’t want to say no, he wanted to play. And he didn’t want to leave Andrew without figuring out what was happening. His soulmate. 

Neil shifted, going silent, his uncertainty made plain for the other two to see. 

Kevin took the opportunity to speak. “We shouldn’t be even giving you this chance. Your inexperience alone is a massive set back that I don’t want to deal with, but we saw your tape. You play like you have everything to lose.”

His inexperience. 

The words were like music to Neil’s ears. This was the certainty he was looking for- there was no way Kevin would have said that if he truly knew who Neil was. 

Kevin knew that Nathaniel Wesninski wasn’t inexperienced; he’d been playing in the same little leagues at Nathaniel before The Butcher had arrived. 

Of course, Neil played like he had everything to lose because he did. The Butcher made sure of that. Playing exy here had been a risk. Which, clearly hadn’t paid off- Kevin Day was still staring at him, waiting for an answer.

“That’s why.” 

“That’s the only striker worth playing with.” Kevin replied. 

Neil sighed regretfully. His mother would slap him if she saw him right now, but his resolve was crumbling. 

“It’s not a good idea.” And it wasn’t. He knew it wasn’t. He just didn’t know who did was trying to convince anymore.

He wanted to play exy. He really wanted it. 

Besides from his games here over the last few months, Neil didn’t have anything to live for anymore. His mother was dead and buried. She had been horrible and cruel, in a desperate sort of way that made him miserable, but she had been his lifeline. They’d kept each other going.

And now Neil had no one. Nothing.

Except this. An offer of a team and a soulmate to boot. He still wasn’t sure he even wanted a soulmate, but he couldn’t let go completely. He wanted something. He couldn’t bring himself to run and leave the offer behind. Leaving meant living, but Neil’s existence was pitiful at best. He wanted to stop running. 

Neil was tired to his bones of running.

“Well?” Wymack prompted. 

“I’ll have to talk to my mother.” He almost couldn’t believe it was him who had said those words. He’d felt the words forming in his throat, but he never thought they’d actually make their way past his lips. 

“Okay.” Wymack said. “You want a lift?”

“I’m fine.” Distantly he thought that he probably should have added a thank you onto that, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak again. He felt numb, the day's events suddenly sinking in. 

Kevin Day. Exy. Soulmate.

Wymack fixed a look at Kevin. “Go away.” 

Kevin’s lip curled at Wymack’s rude dismissal but left without argument. 

As soon as the door closed, Wymack spoke. “You need me to talk to them?”

“No.” 

“They the ones that hurt you?” It was so unexpected, Neil fumbled for words. He opened his mouth several times to speak, but nothing came out. 

Wymack took that as an answer. “If they’re going to be a problem, you can stay with me.” 

“What?” Neil asked, utterly shocked at the generous offer.

“Abby, the team nurse lets Andrew’s group stay at hers until the dorms open. You can stay with me till June, her place is full up with that lot crowding it up.”

“Okay.” Neil said. 

“Okay,” Wymack rubbed his hands together. “Someone will pick you up from the Upstate Regional Airport on the twelfth.” Gently as he could, he pushed the papers into Neil’s hands. Distantly, Neil registered himself putting them into his bag. He felt weirdly detached as if he was watching the scene from another pair of eyes. “Keep the contract for now, but get Hernandez to fax me a signed version by Monday.”

Neil nodded, having nothing else to do. “Thank you.”

Wymack left, his footsteps echoing loudly. Neil kept his eyes low, not moving until he couldn’t hear anything at all. 

*

He got back to the house he was squatting in by seven o’clock. Talking to Wymack had taken up most of his afternoon, and Neil was ready to drop by the time he reached the dirt pathway leading up to the house. The gate had been white, once upon a time, but was now an orange-brown mix, dirty with rust. 

It made a squeaky noise as Neil pushed it open. He jimmied the lock on the front door easily, having gained a lot of practice over the last few months. 

The rooms were bare except for the thick layer of dust that covered the floor. There was a mattress in the back room- chosen specifically so no nosey passerby would see Neil sleeping there. 

There were a few cans of soup and a pot of ramen left from his last shop, but he didn’t much feel like eating a tin of vegetable soup for the fifth day in a row, and even the sight of the ramen made his stomach turn queasily, so he decided to skip dinner.

He flopped onto the lumpy mattress, burying his face into the thin blanket that served at his only warmth through the nights. 

His eyes prickled and he felt his face crumple involuntarily. He tried in vain to force a relaxed expression onto his face, but his muscles wouldn’t cooperate. He choked on the sob as it ripped from his throat. 

He wasn’t even particularly sad about anything- he was just annoyed and confused and bitterly exhausted.

What was he going to do? Should he run? Was going to Palmetto a risk he was willing to take? The questions swirled through his head.

He’d taken the papers, but he still was indecisive. A voice in his head, that sounded suspiciously similar to his mother, told him he was being idiotically reckless, putting himself in the limelight for his father to see. 

But, his father was in prison. Neil had a new name, new hair and new eyes- Kevin hadn’t recognised him, why should any of his father’s men recognise him?

Mind made up, he took out the papers. If he was going to do this, he was going to have to be all in. He quickly found a pen in the bottom of his backpack and scribbled ‘Neil Josten’ on the dotted line. 

He placed it in his bag, ready for Monday. He’d start to prep over the weekend; he could buy back up boxes of cheap hair dye and some new contacts- he might not be able to get a chance in Palmetto. He made a mental list of all the things he needed to do before his graduation

When he finally settled down to sleep, he couldn’t help but think of Andrew. His soulmate. 

He frowned as he pictured the boy, the sardonic smile on his lips, crazed look in his eyes. His brows furrowed as he thought. He felt absolutely no attraction- wasn’t he supposed to have instant feelings for his soulmate? 

Soulmates weren’t very talked about things with his mum- look where her soulmate had gotten her (He felt sorry for her, having a soulmate like The Butcher). However, they were talked about a lot in wider society- especially in high school, so Neil wasn’t completely unaware of the idea. 

He had heard countless stories of parents soul-marks, or (if they were lucky enough) other students themselves. Some met their soulmates as young as 7 and remained friends until they got older. It was uncommon, however, and most met from the age of 20-30. Neil guessed he was quicker than the average because despite telling Wymack he was nineteen, he was actually eighteen but had to lie to register himself into high school without a parent. 

Most described their first meeting as magical, with an instant attraction. Neil thought of Andrew and felt nothing but a vague sense of irritation. He did feel the pull, however, that came with being in the vicinity of your soulmate. It was such a small thing it was almost too easy to miss in the chaos of this afternoon, but he had felt it- a small tug in his navel that made his feet want to move towards Andrew.

But what did that mean? 

He sighed and rolled over to go to sleep. 

*

The date of his move came quickly enough- Neil had sorted himself out days before, having only about a bag of possessions to pack up. 

He made his way off the plane, tugging off his hoodie and slipping it through the hook of his bag. It was boiling- being midway through May- and Neil couldn’t help but remember the last time he’d felt this hot (the fire, flames, licking at his skin, the smell of his mother’s skin-)

He locked eyes with a Minyard. He wasn’t sure which one it was but assumed it wasn’t Andrew, going by the calm look on his face. From what Neil had seen so far, Andrew hadn’t been one for calm, more crazed, humourless smiles. 

He also felt doubtful that Wymack would send Andrew to collect him. 

Neil made his way over to the boy, pushing his way past a long queue for the baggage claim desk. As he came closer, he felt a subtle tug in his gut that he had felt the last time he had been near a Minyard. 

He fought to keep the surprised look off of his face; it wasn’t Aaron after all. 

“Neil.” Andrew said. He didn’t wait for a reply but walked away and into the street, stopping next to an expensive looking black car.

“Bag in the trunk.” Neil tossed his bag in the back and walked around the car to get to the other side. Andrew hopped in next to him, settling into the driver's seat. 

“Neil Josten.” Andrew said, and Neil paused. He looked the boy up and down, looking at his calm body language, a complete contrast from the Andrew he had met a couple of weeks ago. He suddenly realised Andrew was pretending to be his brother. Neil felt annoyed, but also confused. 

“Andrew Minyard.” Neil rebuked, enjoyed the way Andrew’s head came up to look at him. A beat passed before Andrew smiled- an unhinged smile that made Neil’s insides swirl uncomfortably. Was this really his soulmate? 

Neil had always thought his soul-mark might have been of the platonic variety, but he couldn’t see Andrew wanting to be friends with him. Neil didn’t particularly want to be friends with Andrew either. Especially with that signature deranged grin and the stories that followed him. 

He thought of what he already knew of the boy. He’d seen an article once, of how Andrew had almost killed four men for attacking his cousin on a night out. It had been self-defence, however, which was something Neil was familiar with. 

“How’d you know?” Andrew asked. The honesty in the question threw Neil for a loop. Hadn’t Andrew felt it? He stared at Andrew, trying to figure out if he was lying. 

Neil had just known. He’d felt the tug, the pull, guiding him towards Andrew instinctively. He just knew; there was no way to explain it. 

Didn’t Andrew realise they were soulmates? Sure, the feeling was subtle, but it couldn’t be missed once you were expecting it to come, and Andrew had to be expecting it after hearing his words- they weren’t exactly common. 

Well, they might be for Andrew. Neil eyed the boy beside him, considering. Even though he’d only just met Andrew, he had a feeling that the little prick had probably gotten a fair few ‘fuck you’s’ in his lifetime. 

Maybe that was it. Maybe he’d heard his words spoken by people who weren’t his soulmate and simply ignored the words by now. 

Neil was fucking sick of this already. He was tired of the guessing games- whether or not Andrew knew, if he was just ignoring it or if he actually didn’t know. 

Neil fiddled with the fraying edges of his jeans, twirling the loose string between his fingers. Should he ask Andrew about it? Should he tell them they were soulmates? That Andrew’s words were permanently scrawled onto Neil’s collarbone; where everyone’s was. 

Something held him back, however. What if Andrew did know, but was choosing not to say anything because he didn’t want Neil as a soulmate? Or what if Neil wasn’t actually Andrew’s soulmate? ‘Better luck next time’ probably wouldn’t be an unlikely phrase for Neil to hear, especially if he was going to play professional sport. 

Wouldn’t it be better for Neil anyways, to let Andrew ignore it, so nothing would be expected. Neil didn’t swing; not even the boy who sat beside him, so what was the point in telling him?

The drive was silent for the rest of the way, leaving Neil to his thoughts. Andrew didn’t seem to mind being ignored by Neil and didn’t try and start another conversation. 

*

As soon as he got out the car, Neil was introduced to Nicky Hemmick and Aaron Minyard (though, the latter introduced himself as Andrew). 

He thought he liked Nicky, he, at least, seemed nicer than the others. He couldn’t really get an impression of Aaron, as he was pretending to be his brother. Neil wondered why they would even bother with the whole thing. He was sure it wasn’t just to trick him; they had better things to do than prank the newbie. 

Kevin joined them and they made their way upstairs to Wymacks apartment. Neil idly wondered if he should’ve just told Aaron he already knew and to stop the pretence. 

When they reached Wymack’s floor, Aaron dug out a key and unlocked the door. It swung open to reveal a messy, but decently sized apartment. Distantly, he realised he was supposed to go inside, but his brain was focused on the lock of the door. How was Neil supposed to sleep inside a locked room at night? It cut off his means of escape, meaning he wouldn’t be able to run at a moments notice. What if his father found him?

He snorted internally at himself (drama queen much?) It would be fine- his father was in prison and that locked door would be the thing to keep anyone out, rather than trapping him in. 

He moved forwards, fully aware of the looks being passed behind his back. He’d just have to pretend to be fine with it, for now, he could speak to Wymack later and sort it out. And, if Wymack wasn’t willing to compromise, Neil could always get a hotel room- he had the money after all. 

Neil strolled down the hallway, ignoring the rapid beat of his heart in favour of keeping his facade up. If he was going to leave later on in the year, he had to make himself as unmemorable as possible. He’d just stay, for now, figure out this whole soulmate business, play exy for a while, and then move on. He could do that. 

“What was that all about?” Nicky said, suddenly switching to German. 

Neil’s heart stopped at the language. He hadn’t used it in years but could still understand completely. He froze, fingers still outstretched towards the curtains. He moved to turn around but was stopped as Aaron spoke up.

“Maybe he was just savouring the moment?” 

“No way.” Nicky scoffed. “That was pure fight or flight. He looked like a scared little rabbit facing a trap.” 

Neil frowned at the analogy. He really needed to get a grip of himself, he was attracting too much attention, making himself too memorable. It wouldn’t do to attract attention like this, especially since he was already putting himself in the limelight by even being here.

There was a beat of silent agreement between the three before Nicky spoke again. “Andrew what did you say to him?”

Neil turned subtly to get a look at their faces. 

Andrew ignored Nicky’s question. “He knew it was me.”

“What?” Nicky asked. 

Andrew clearly didn’t seem to think the question designated an answer because he walked out, leaving Nicky and Aaron alone. They exchanged a glance. 

“He knew Andrew wasn’t you? How’d he figure that one out?” Nicky muttered. 

“I don’t know.” Aaron said. “And I don’t especially care. If Josten is going to become another of Andrew’s pets like Kevin, that’s for Andrew to deal with, not me.” 

“Would you be a bit quieter? He might not know German but he’s not stupid.” Nicky replied. 

Aaron just shrugged and walked out, following in the direction his brother had left in. 

Neil turned around and smiled at Nicky, giving no hints that he had even heard the conversation. 

“Tour?” Nicky offered. Neil just shrugged, which Nicky took as a yes.

He showed Neil all of the rooms. It wasn’t much but it was a comfortable size for the both of them and it had a lockable bathroom, which was important- Neil wouldn’t be able to get change in the living room with his scarring. 

They reached the office in the back of the apartment and Nicky immediately made his way over to the desk and picked up a bottle of painkillers.

“That’s not yours.” 

“Painkillers for Coach. He shattered his hip a few years back. That’s how he met Abby, the team nurse, the one that we’re staying with?” Neil nodded that he understood.

Nicky threw back a handful of pills and swallowed. “The teams split on whether they’re soulmates or just fucking. You’ll meet her tonight at dinner so let us know what you think ASAP, I’ve got money riding on this.” 

Neil didn’t know how to reply to that so stayed silent. 

“Come on,” Nicky chucked the pills into his pocket. “We can go to the court until dinner. We’ve got the right number for scrimmages now, Kevin’s probably pissing himself in excitement.”

Neil very much doubts that. “Really?”

“Kevin doesn’t really do excited,” Aaron agreed. “But he does do Exy, so he’s the most eager to get you on the court.” 

Neil hummed noncommittally, and a blanket of silence fell over the three boys. 

As if on cue, Andrew appeared in the doorway with a bottle of whiskey. Neil eyed the bottle- Andrew couldn’t drink when he was on his meds.

He drew his gaze upwards, stealing a look at Andrew, and came to a sudden realisation. He wasn’t on his meds. That was why Aaron and Andrew had switched- Andrew wanted to get off his meds. 

Neil was all of a sudden very curious. Andrew hadn’t been at all what Neil had expected from the news articles he had read when researching Kevin and Riko. Neil has always assumed that Andrew was some sort of psychopath- the type who liked violence for the power; someone like his father. 

But he didn’t think that was the case anymore. Andrew didn’t seem the type to do anything without a reason. Neil got the idea that Andrew was a lot smarter than he let on, and a lot less of a thug. 

Maybe the universe wasn’t completely fucking Neil over. 

Maybe it could work. Even if they didn’t have sex, or even kiss, they could still have a relationship. That wasn’t all a relationship was about, after all, especially something as deep as a soul bond. 

He let out a huff. Maybe he just had to get Andrew to acknowledge the soul-bond and then talk to him about it. Neil felt he should at least try to figure out what was going on. 

Neil suddenly wished he had normal parents to talk about this too. 

“Ready Neil?” Nicky’s voice broke through the spell and his head snapped up. Nicky was staring at him, his face tinged with friendly concern. “We should probably go before Coach shows up.”

“Why, is this a robbery in progress?” 

“Maybe it is,” Andrew smiled. “Will you tell coach on us?” He sounded thoroughly entertained by the notion. 

“No, but I would ask you why you’re not medicated.” Neil couldn’t help but confront him. He wanted to know why Andrew was taking such a risk- he could be sent back to juvie.

“Am I crazy? Did that just happen?” Nicky switched back to German in a heartbeat, leaving all the others to stare in surprise at Neil. Except for Andrew. 

“Don’t look at me.” Aaron shrugged.

Neil was getting sick of not being able to reply in German when he knew he could. “I’d prefer an answer in English.” He crossed his arms. 

“That sounds like an accusation,” Andrew’s lips curved into a small smile. He sounded positively thrilled by the conversation going on. “But I didn’t lie to you.” 

“Omission is the easiest way to lie.” Neil challenged. 

“You figured it out easily enough. How did you do that, by the way?”

“I did, didn’t I?” Neil scanned Andrew’s face for any sign of emotion. He really didn’t know how Neil had guessed? 

He already regretted doing it before he even did it, but tapped his fingers to his forehead anyway, copying Andrew’s mocking salute and repeating the words inscribed on Neil’s collarbone. “Better luck next time.”

There was a beat of silence. Neil stared at Andrew, searching for any sign of realisation or recognition, but he couldn’t read the other boy’s face. 

Andrew stared back, before turning away. Kevin eyed him curiously, taking a second to frown at Neil before moving to follow Andrew. 

Nicky and Aaron exchanged another glance. 

“You coming?” It wasn’t so much of a question than an order. Nicky and Aaron filed out behind them. Neil sighed and followed too, realising he didn’t have much of a choice either. He was in this now, whether he liked it or not. 

*

Of course, it didn’t take long for Nicky to broach the subject of soulmates. 

“So, Neil.” Nicky said as they were walking out onto the pitch. Kevin and Andrew were already out there, and Aaron had left earlier with some mumbled excuse that Neil hadn’t bothered to listen to.

“Yeah?” 

“You got anyone special? Girlfriend?” 

“No.”

Nicky wasn’t deterred and winked. “Boyfriend?”

“Nope.” Neil tightened the strings on his racquet. 

“Ooh, a soulmate?” Nicky asked excitedly.

Neil shook his head to the affirmative. He wasn’t exactly going to tell Nicky the truth when he didn’t even understand it himself. 

“Shame.”

Neil just shrugged. 

“I met my soulmate, Eric, years ago in Germany. That’s how I know German. I was an exchange student there when we met.” Nicky beamed. Neil couldn’t help but return the smile, Nicky’s love for Eric so plain to see. 

“Of course, Dan and Matt are soulmates,” Nicky turned to a hushed sort of tone that signified gossip. Neil’s attention was pulled away by the first sight of the stadium. He gaped at the sight of it and felt a sharp excitement pull at his heart. 

He could barely hear Nicky over the roar of blood rushing in his ears. Nicky continued regardless. Neil wondered if he realised Neil wasn’t completely listening. Maybe he just wanted to talk to someone who wouldn’t bite his head off the second he opened his mouth. 

“But I’m pretty sure Allison and Seth aren’t.” Nicky’s face scrunched up as if the thought made him wince. “God, imagine if they were, they’d probably kill each other before they ever settled down.” 

“Not all soulmates are good for each other.” Neil said, thinking of his parents. He couldn’t comment on Seth and Allison’s relationship- having met neither of them, let alone seen them together, but he did know that.

Neil often wondered how cruel fate had to be to put his mother with The Butcher. 

“That’s true, I guess.” Nicky said casually, not seeming to notice Neil’s heavy tone. “I’m still waiting on you for the bet on Abby and Wymack, by the way.”

“I’ll let you know.” Neil said noncommittally, bending over to tie the laces of his trainers. Nicky leaned on his racquet as he waited for Neil. 

“I’ve never heard of Kevin having anyone, and I’m sure the press would’ve found out the second it happened, the way they obsess over him.” 

Nicky snorts. “Of course, Allison says his soulmate is Exy, he loves it so much.” 

Neil smirks as Kevin comes into view, already on the pitch warming up. He seems happier than Neil had seen him over the past few days, doing stretches on the grass. There might not be nothing to that theory. He snorts to himself. 

“I’ve never even seen either of the twins soul-marks. Andrew never takes his shirt off around either of us, and Aaron covers his up with a band-aid.” Nicky paused thoughtfully. Neil thought it was strange how open Nicky was being when both Minyards seemed to be extremely private people. 

“I guess I would hide mine too if I was him. If Andrew’s soulmate is anything like him, his words are probably...” Nicky huffed a laugh as he spoke. “I can’t even imagine.” 

Neil wisely kept silent and walked onto the pitch. 

*

The sound of shouting filled Neil’s ears, floating down the hallway from Wymack’s apartment. The noise sent a bolt of panic through Neil, his heart rate spiking with anxiety. He’d always hated shouting. 

“Damn it, Kevin, I said sit down.” Wymack’s furious voice floated through the door. 

The rest was indistinguishable, lost through the thick walls, but Neil heard loud thumps and the sound of glass breaking. He took advantage of the loud noise, to open the door, the clinking of the keys and the door lost in the sound of the chaos. 

Wymack comes into the hall at the exact moment Neil walks in. Neil freezes, acting like a child who’d been found with their hand in the cookie jar. 

“How much of that did you hear?” 

“Not much.” 

“Edgar Allan put in a request for a transfer to the ERC and it was approved.” 

Neil gaped at Wymack. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn’t that. “That’s impossible.” 

“Not really.”

But that’s not what Neil meant. “That’s impossible.” He repeated. “We can’t play them!”

Wymack loosed a heavy sigh. “Kevin’s transfer made a lot of people very unhappy, Neil. The ERC wants Kevin and Riko to have a reunion. It’s a great opportunity for publicity and they know it.”

Riko. Neil curses his own stupidity. 

Why did he ever think he could pull this off? He should’ve run the moment he saw Wymack, and left the whole affair in his dust. Now he’s going to be playing against Riko. Kevin might not have recognised him, but Riko might. 

“I can’t play against Riko.” That would be too much of a risk, even Neil knows he can’t possibly meet Riko face to face. He’d be thrown to his father’s thugs before he had the chance to say ‘Exy’. 

“Riko isn’t your problem, kid. Leave it to Matt.”

“Can’t you do something?” 

Wymack snorts. “What am I gonna do? The ERC isn’t going to risk offending the Moriyama family for some coach.” 

Neil knew enough about the Moriyamas to know Coach was right. They fed on the fear they created with a trail of bodies. Nobody wanted to be the next on the pile. 

Wymack leaned closer to Neil, lowering his voice. “Listen, there’s something you need to know about the Moriyamas. It’s not exactly common knowledge.”

Neil figured Wymack was about to tell him everything he already knew. He knew how dangerous the Moriyama family was, he’d seen it first hand. His father had been just like them. 

“You can’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you, okay? It’s dangerous for people to know this.” 

Neil nodded, readying himself to pretend to be shocked. He already knew this. Riko had been the second child after his older brother, that was why he was an Exy player.

“The Moriyama family is split. The firstborns and the second-borns. Coach Moriyama, being the second born, controls the second born part of the family. His brother, Kengo, controls the first.”

Neil suddenly felt a strong sense of Deja-Vu, remembering when his mother had explained this same story in the dark of a dirty motel room. 

“Kengo had two sons, Ichirou and Riko. Ichirou, being the oldest, remained with his father. Riko was sent to Coach Moriyama. The two are estranged and have nothing to do with each other. The firstborns have an international trading company up in New York. The second have the Ravens and Exy, after Coach Moriyama invented it.” 

Neil nodded in understanding. 

“The Moriyama are a yakuza group. It’s like the Japanese Mafia.” Wymack explained. 

“They’re a gang.” Neil concluded. It made sense- why Neil’s father had been there. The Butcher’s land consisted of the eastern ports and Baltimore. It was easily possible that Kengo wanted to do business with his father. 

To Neil, that was the most likely reason. It explained why he had been there with Riko and Kevin; if the Moriyamas and his father had been partners. 

Neil was silent for a moment. Something didn’t link up, it wasn’t completely answered. “So why is Kevin having a breakdown?” 

“Because they’re ready to cash in their investment. Kevin was a pet- given to Riko as property to train and to mould however he liked.”

“So why do they want him now?” Neil asked.

“They don’t. Tetsuji knows pitting them against each other will be great publicity for the Ravens because they will win. Kevin is great, but he fears Riko too much to ever be a proper opponent.” 

“Why?” 

“Riko broke his hand.” Wymack didn’t exactly answer the question.

Neil didn’t have to pretend to be shocked anymore; he gaped openly at Wymack.

“What?” 

“It wasn’t a skiing accident as they claimed. He broke Kevin’s hand on purpose.” 

Neil stared at Wymack incredulously. 

“It gave him the courage to leave, though. He loves the game too much, it was the highest insult to Kevin to take away his life like that. And I do mean his life. The day Kevin stops playing is the day he dies. Which is why we can’t lose to the Ravens this year.”

Neil felt even more surprised. “We can’t win against them.” 

“It’s time for us to stop being the worst.” Wymack looked at him. “You signed for a reason. You’re good and you know it. We can do this.”

Neil didn’t know what to say. Wymack had the wrong idea and why Neil had signed but Neil didn’t much fancy telling Wymack his reasoning. 

Wymack stood, taking Neil’s silence for an agreement. “I need to go check on Kevin. Don’t mention this to anyone else yet, I’ll tell the team later.”

“Okay, don’t worry about me. I’m going to go for a run.” 

“Okay.” Wymack left quickly, closing the door behind him.

Neil pulled his trainers on, before making his way back out the door. His mind swirled with the new information. He couldn’t believe Riko had broken Kevin’s hand. He had turned out to be even crueller than he had been when Neil had first met him. 

And now Neil was going to be seeing him on the pitch. 

The elevator dinged and Neil started to run.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! 
> 
> Been working on this for ages. I origninaly wanted it to be a long ass one shot but i think i’ve seperated it into about three chapters. 
> 
> So this first chapter was pretty much the same as canon just slightly rewritten by me to work into the soulmate universe, but the next chapters will be swerving off of canon and will also be a lot more fast paced. 
> 
> Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed the first installment, please leave kudos and comments below it means so much to me! <3


End file.
